Valve.



H. HALL.

VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1907.

926,739, Patented July 6, 1909.

772M? H1234 I %aQ/ war/pay UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

HARRY HALL, OF MANTON, MICHIGAN.

VALVE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY HALL, citizen of the United States, resident of Manton, county of VVeXford, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Valves, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other mventions.

My invention relates to a novel construction of valve, such valve being particularly designed for use in the connection between locomotive engines and the water tanks of their tenders, or in other analogous situations.

In the construction of connection hose at present employed between locomotive engine and water tank there is interposed a screen in the end of the hose next to the engine designed to prevent sediment or dirt from being carried into the injector with the current of water. Such dirt of course accumulates in the screen and very often so clogs the latter as to prevent the injector from working, and not infrequently the engine is thus stopped and it becomes necessary to uncouple the hose, take down the same, and clean out the dirt before the injector can again be put to work. Another expedient is to blow steam back into the tank by reversing the injector and thus remove the dirt from the screen; obviously, however, this only relieves the difficulty temporarily since the dirt will in a very short time work back again.

It is with the object of removing these several difficulties in the use of connection of the character described, that the present invention has been devised; and to the accomplishment of this and related ends, said invention consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing: Figure 1. represents in more or less conventional form a locomotive engine and tender with a connection embodying my improvement shown therewith; Fig. 2 represents in vertical Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 16, 1907.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Serial No. 397,621.

cross-section the essential portions of the device constituting the invention proper; and Fig. 3 represents, likewise in vertical cross-section, a modified form of such device.

Having reference then to the several figures above described, A will be seen to designate a locomotive engine, coupled to the rear of which is a tender A of the usual sort. In tender A is found the tank a, from which water is supplied to engine A by means of an injector, not shown, of the usual construction, mounted on such engine. The water thus supplied to the engine is drawn from tank a through a flexible connection B, preferably constructed of hose, as connections of this character about trains generally are. In the end of this hose connection B next to the engine, is located a screen 1) above referred to, such screen being ordinarily in the form of a perforated cone pointing oppositely to the direction of flow of the current through such hose. The construction thus far described constitutes the arrangement in use at present. The improvement which I have made therein consists in the interposition in such connection B of a chamber (J, now more particularly to be described, such chamber dividing the connection as will be obvious into two sections 1) 5 Having regard first of all to the specific form of the device illustrated in Fig. 2, chamber C will be seen to communicate freely with outflow section b of hose B, whereas the opposite end of the chamber is provided with an opening having a valve seat 0 and a valve 0 fitted thereto that is adapted to close such opening. Valve 0' is so formed and arranged as to open in the direction of flow of the current only. Chamber C is furthermore provided with an external discharge to which is likewise fitted a valve 0 such valve opening outwardly only. Valves 0 and c are connected through two jointed levers c c as shown, whereby, when the one valve is opened, the other is closed, and vice versa. Actuation of the valves to thus open and close the same is had by means of an o erating lever C pivotally connected with va ve c as shown; a spring 0 connected with such lever serving normally to maintain valve 0 closed c nd valve 0 open.

Having thus described the form of the device in question, its mode of operation, exemplifying the general principle of operation.

\ chamber 0, free and open.

of the invention, may be now set up. In the normal use of the hose connection B, valve 0 will be closed and accordingly in view of the construction just explained valve 0 left open. The water is thus permitted to be drawn freely through the two sections of the hose and the interposed chamber C. VVhenever, however, owing to the accumulation of dirt in the screen I), it becomes desirable to remove such accumulation, valve 0 is opened by a proper movement of lever C and at the same time valve 0 closed, thus preventing escape of water from the tank but leaving outflow section b of the hose, together with Upon now reversing the injector, the screen and such hose section can be cleaned by blowing back steam in the usual way; the dirt, however, instead of being returned to'the tank is discharged onto the ground and so disposed of finally. As soon as the screen is thus cleaned, by simply reversing the movement of lever C, the connection with the water tank, previously existing, is reestablished. It will thus be seen that with a very trifling interruption of the operation of the injector all accumulated sediment or dirt is effectually removed from the screen and connec tion with no possibility of its becoming shortly lodged there again.

It will be obvious from the description of the operation of the one form of my device that valves 0 c are in a sense check-valves. By a slight modification, such as is illustrated in Fig. 3, they may be actually operated as such, instead of being mechanically connected in the manner first shown. Valve 0 is accordingly hung so that its normal position is open, the tendency being for it to assume this position by reason of the flow of current through the connection in spite of the action of a spring 0 that serves to close it upon such flow ceasing or being reversed. Since the pressure of the water is never very great, the tank carrying no great head, a stiff spring 0 of the sort illustrated in Fig. 3, will suflice to maintain valve 0 whereby the external discharge of chamber O is controlled, in a closed position in the normal state of the device, this being the state illustrated in full lines in the figure of reference. In this position of parts, in other words, water may be drawn from the tank to the engine by the injector as in the ordinary hose connection. Should it now become desirable to blow the dirt from off the screen it is merely necessary to reverse the injector and thus force the steam backward through the connection. The eflect of the reversal in the flow of current through the chamber C will be first of all to close check valve 0, and, secondly, owing to the accumulation of steam pressure in such chamber, the opening of valve 0 that controls theexternal discharge of such chamber in spite of'the spring whereby such valve is normally held closed. The changed posi-' tion of parts is shown in dotted outline in the figure under consideration. Upon relieving the chamber C of the back steam pressure, the valves immediately resume their former positions and the normal operations of the injector begins.

Other modes of applying the principle of invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any one of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. The combination with a water supply pipe, of a chamber interposed therein and dividing the same into two sections, said chamber communicating freely with the outflow section of said pipe and being provided with an external discharge, a valve, opening in the direction of flow and adapted to be closed by a reversal of such flow, for controlling communication between said chamber and the other section of said pipe, and a second valve, opening outwardly for controlling such external discharge.

2. The combination with a water supply pipe, of a chamber interposed therein and dividing the same into two sections, said chamber communicating freely with the outflow section of said pipe and being provided with an external discharge, a valve, opening in the direction of flow and adapted to be closed by a reversal of such flow, for controlling communication through such chamber and the other section of said pipe, a second valve, opening outwardly, for controlling such external discharge, and means for normally retaining said discharge control valve closed.

3. The combination with a water supply pipe, of a chamber interposed therein and dividing the same into two sections, said chamber communicating freely with the outflow section of said pipe and being rovided with an external discharge, a va ve, opening in the direction of flow and adapted to be closed by a reversal of such flow, for controlling communication between said chamber and the other section of said pipe, a second valve, opening outwardly, for controlling such external discharge, levers connecting said two valves whereby the one is closed when the other is opened and vice versa and means for normally retaining such discharge control valve closed.

4. The combination with a water supply pipe, of a chamber interposed in such pipe and dividing the same into two sections, said chamber communicating freely with the outflow section of said pipe and being provided with an external discharge, a valve, opening in the direction of flow and adapted to be closed by a reversal of such flow, for controlling communication between said chamber and the other section of said pipe, a second valve, opening outwardly, for controlling such external discharge, levers connecting said two valves whereby the one is closed when the other is opened and vice versa, and an actuating lever connected with the latter of said valves whereby such valve is normally retained closed.

5. The combination with a water supply pipe, of a chamber interposed in such pipe and dividing the same into two sections, said chamber communicating freely with the outflow section of said pipe and being provided with an external discharge, a valve, opening in the direction of flow, for controlling communication between said chamber and the other section of said pipe, a second valve, opening outwardly, for controlling such external discharge, levers connecting said two valves whereby the one is closed when the other is opened and vice versa, an actuating lever connected with the latter of said valves, and a spring connected with said actuatin lever and adapted normally to close saic valve.

6. The combination with a water supply pipe of a chamber interposed therein and dividing the same into two sections, such chamber communicating freely with one section of said pipe and being provided with an external discharge, valves respectively controlling such external discharge and said chambers communication with the other section of such pipe, and spring means adapted normally to close the former of said valves, said other valve opening in the direction of the flow therethrough and being normally held open by such flow.

7. The combination with a water supply pipe of a chamber interposed therein {L1H dividing the same into two sections, said chamber communicating freely with one section of said )ipe and being provided with an external discharge, valves respectively controlling such external discharge and said chambers communication with the other section of such pipe, and spring means adapted normally to close said valves respectively, the latter of said valves opening in the direction of the flow therethrough and being normally held open by such flow.

Signed by me this 8th day of October,

HARRY HALL. Attestcd by:

ETHA SPENCER,

FLORA COMPTON. 

